San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1887-07-07

tyrants, and tho great mass OF CON
munity, embracing thousands Of bot
ter men. were the serfs Of these rufliaI
lords. Look at Europe now, still
groaning under the influence o.
that system. The great body OF The
people there have no interest IN the
soil, and consequently are used as
mere Instruments for the accumula
ton of wealth and power by those
who tread them in the dust. Remove
this one evil Of land monopoly from
Europe, and it would go far towards
curing all the ills Of the body polite,
Beat down the old castles and build
cottages ont Of them; divide the vast
patrimony Of rapacious cburchmen
and thick. headed princes and mobiles
into small farms bring into cultiva-
ton and use the extensive forests and
other pleasure grounds Of kings and
their minions; divide them among the
people, and set all the drones to
work; and we should hear no more
OF pauperism and starvation, even in
Ireland.
"But are we of this country safe
from this social curse of land mono
polyi believe not. We are run
ming the same race Of all previous ma.
tons. Happily, rs yet, especially
here in the West, we know but little
of these evils; but let the vast regions,
OF our new territories once be occupi.
ed, as they are destined soon to be,
and they will rapidly manifest them
selves. We may already distinctly
trace them in the pauperism of our
larger cities, and in the dependence
of the operatives in our manufacture
ing establishments, and the tenants
of extensive land holders in the older
States-a dependence incompatible
with the exercise of the duties of
citizen of this country. Make man
subject to another for the means OF
living, and you give to that other an
unwarrantable and injurious influence
over him. We have reason to believe
that this influence is often exerted in
a manner unfavorable to the free exer-
else of The right of suffrage. In short,
to conclude on this topic, this whole
system of land monopoly is unnatural
and unreasonable. God designed
that every man should be indepen
dent, should rise in the scale Of be-
ing, and should have power to prop
erly bring up and educate his family;
and, consequently, as the absolutely
essential means Of attaining these
ends, He designed that every man
should have home-a foothold in
the earth. The remedy for land
monopoly is this: make free the pub
lie lands in limited quantities to nc
tual landless settlers restrict the
quantity to be held in future by anyn
individual of other lands; and make
the homestead inviolable. These
principles should be the groundwork
of our Republican ediGce, and AS such
should early receive the sanction OF
National and the State legislation
Fortunately we have not gone so far
in the broad way of national degrade
ton but that VIC may readily retrace
our steps.-This reform will certain
ly meet with opposition the monop
olists will, of course, be furiously
to it. Having secured the
lions share to themselves ; rioting in
the fruits of others tolls, and holding
the highest seats in the synagogues;
they will loudly expatiate to their
landless dependents on their inalien-
able rights of life, liberty, and'the
pursuit of happiness. But it will be
in vain. Despite the wailings of uu-
righteous mammon, the voice of the
people must ere long be heard on
this subject, and no earthly power
can stay this glorious reform. Thank
God, the right of suffrage, though |
injured, and in danger of subversion,
c moi -.nf Lost T.